A play within a play, A Tale of Two Cities features Jerry Lee as an aspiring drag performer (Jerry) who discovers a swaddled baby left on his doorstep en route to his performance debut. When attempts to calm the screaming infant fail, Jerry turns to a recitation of Dickens’ classic to comfort that child. Jerry assumes multiple roles: the disreputable English lawyer and drunkard, Sydney Carton; French aristocrat Charles Darnay; loathed uncle, The Marquis St. Evrémonde; Miss Lucy Mannette, and her confused Father; a feisty Governess; and one of literatures great villains Madame Therese Defarge – all while recreating both pre-Victorian England and revolution-era Paris in his tiny studio apartment.

Buy Tickets

A Tale of Two Cities is recommended for mature audiences. Depending on availability, tickets will also be available for purchase before each performance. The theatre will open 45 minutes before curtain time. General seating.

Creative

JERRY LEE (Jerry) is delighted to remount this production and this role. He is the Producing Artistic Director of SacImpulse Theatre (An Iliad, Orlando, Ryan Landry's The Plexiglas Menagerie). He recently made his professional directing debuts with Sacramento Theatre Company (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) and Sierra Repertory Theatre (The Robber Bridegroom). Regional acting credits: Sacramento Theatre Company (The Fantasticks, It's A Wonderful Life, The Musical of Musicals: The Musical), California Musical Theatre (Forbidden Broadway), Center REP (A Christmas Carol, Life Could Be A Dream), Sierra Repertory Theatre (State Fair, The Drowsy Chaperone), Contra Costa Musical Theatre (Les Misérables [Shelly Award Winner - Best Supporting Actor in a Musical]), Mountain Play (West Side Story), and PCPA - Pacific Conservatory Theatre (The Weir, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Les Misérables).

GRAHAM SOBELMAN (Composer/Pianist) is a Sacramento-based composer and musical director. With California Musical Theatre, he was the Music Director for both Forbidden Broadway and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret and the Junior Companies of Seussical, Bye Bye Birdie, Joseph, The Music Man, The Wizard of Oz and The King and I at Music Circus. Other regional MD credits: Passion, Little Fish, Celebration, It’s Only Life, tick, tick…BOOM!, They’re Playing Our Song, and [title of show] for New Helvetia Theatre; Ruthless (Sacramento Theatre Company), The Who’s Tommy (UC Davis, Folsom Lake College), Avenue Q (CSUS), Tell Me On A Sunday (Ensemble Theatre Company). He created local cabaret series Graham-A-Rama and composed the song-cycle Love Is Eternal, the score to short-film Lily, and numerous art songs. Additionally, he composed music for the SacImpulse productions of Orlando and A Tale of Two Cities. Recordings: Maggie Hollinbeck & Graham Sobelman – Another Shade of Blue; Ain’t Betty - This Is Ain’t Betty

EVERETT QUINTON (Adaptor) has recently appeared in The Witch of Edmonton at Red Bull Theater, as Florence Wexler in Devil Boys from Beyond at New World Stages, as Dr. Caius in The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., and as Jacob Marley in The McCarter Theatre's A Christmas Carol. Everett is also a member of Cleveland State University's Summer Stages where he appeared as Madam Rosepettle in O Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad. Everett previously appeared at Red Bul Theater in Women Beward Women (2008 Callaway Award, Best Actor). Everett was a member of The Ridiculous Theatrical Company and served as its Artistic Director from 1987-1997. He has appeared in Charles Ludlam's Medea, The Secret Lives of the Sexists, Salammbo, Galas, The Artificial Jungle and the original production of The Mystery of Irma Vep (Obie and Drama Desk Award). He was also seen in Georg Osterman's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Brother Truckers (Bessie Award); Richard and Michael Simon's Murder at Minsing Manor (Drama League Award); as well as in his own plays: Carmen, Linda, Movieland, A Tale of Two Cities (Obie Award), and Call Me Sarah Bernhardt. Everett has directed revivals of Charles Ludlam's Big Hotel, Camille, Der Ring Gott Farblonjet and How to Write a Play. He also directed Brother Truckers (in New York, London and as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Carmen, Sebastian Stewart's Under the Kerosene Moon, as well as The Beaux Stratagem at the Yale Rep and Treasure Island at the Omaha Theatre for Young People. Film and TV credits include Natural Born Killers, Big Business, Deadly Illusion, Forever Lulu, Miami Vice and Law & Order.

CHARLES DICKENS (Author) was born in Landport, Hampshire, during the new industrial age. His father was a clerk in the navy pay office, who was well paid but often ended in financial troubles. In 1814 Dickens moved to London, and then to Chatham, where he recieved some education. He worked in a London blacking factory, while his family was in Marsgalea debtor's prison. In 1824 - 27 he studied at Wellington House Academy, London and at Mr. Dawson's school. From 1827 to 1828 he was a law office clerk and then worked as a shorthand reporter at Doctor's Commons. He wrote for True Son (1830-32), Mirror of Parliament (1832-34) and the Morning Chronicle (1834-36). In the 1830's he was a contributor to Monthly Magazine and The Evening Chronicle and edited Bentley's Miscellany. In the 1840's Dickens edited the London Daily News. His career as a writer of fiction started in 1833 whe his short stories and essays appeared in periodicals. His Sketches by Boz and The Pickwick Papers were published in 1836. Dickens's novels first appeared in monthly installments and included Oliver Twist (1837-39), Nicholas Nickelby (1838-39) and Old Curiosity Shop (1840-41). Among his later works are David Copperfield (1849-50), Bleak House (1852-53), A Tale of Two Cities (1859), and Great Expectations (1860-61). The unfinished mystery novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood was published in 1870. In the 1840's Dickens spent much time travelling and campaigning against many of the social injustices of his time and he gave talks and readings, wrote pamphlets, plays and letters. In the 1850's Dickens was founding editor of Household World and its successor All the Year Round (1859-70). Although Dickens's career as a novelist recieved much attention, he produced hundreds of his own essays and edited hundreds of others submitted to the various periodicals he edited. Dickens distinguished himself as an essayist in 1834 under the pseudonym Boz.

The Ooley Theatre

The Ooley Theatre is a charming 35-seat theatre located at 2007 28th St, between S and T streets in Downtown Sacramento.

SacImpulse Theatre

Founded in 2012, SacImpulse Theatre is a language-based acting company. Our mission is to produce contemporary plays based on classic literature. Since our inception we've produced a West Coast premiere, four Sacramento premieres, three original cabaret performances, and commissioned two original plays (one of which is due to play later in 2017).